Railroad switch and track construction.



PATENTED Nov 24, 1903. J. w. KOCH. RAILROAD SWITCH AND. TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1903. y 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

PATBNYTYEDN-OV. 24, 1903.

J. W. KOCH. RAILROAD SWITCH AND TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 16, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

W/ TNE SSE S:

A TTOHNE rs.

TH: ur-nms PETERS co, PHOTO-LUNG WASHINGYON, n. c.

PATENTED NOV. '24, 1903. J. W. KOCH.

RAILROAD SWITCH AND TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1903 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- HO MODEL.

A TTOHNEYS INVENTOR- J/K/(ach r a w u w x Q M m: Mmms PETERS cu. PHOYCl-Lfiflll, WASHINGTON, me,

No. 745,199. PATENTE-B NOV. 24, 1903..

J. KOCH. RAILROAD SWITCH AND TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLIOATION FILED HAR- 16, 1903.

1T0 MODEL.

IN VENTOI? :IlK/foch WITNESSES:

lilo. 745,199.

NIT-ED STATES" Patented November 24, 1903.

PATENT OFFioE.

JAMES W. KOCH, OF REYNOLDS, PENNSYLVANIA.

SFEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,199, dated November 24, 1903.

' Application iiled March 16, 1903. Serial No. 147,972. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. Kocn, residing at Reynolds, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Railroad Switch and Track Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention seeks to provide certain new and useful improvements in railroad switch and track constructions; and itis more especially designed to provide a peculiar construction of track and switch mechanism whereby the operation of shifting the switchis rendered absolutely positive, one of easy manipulation, and the setting of thesignals throughthe shifting thereof made easy and reliable.

erally effective, have not done all that is desired. v 7

My invention therefore in its generic nature comprehends an improved means whereby the possibility of the meeting ends of the rails engaging in tight frictional contact under a maximum expansion thereof is absolutely prevented and the switch-rails thereby held in a proper position to be shifted without frictional contact of the extreme ends thereof and with the coincident fixedly-held trackrails.

My invention also embodies certain constructions of parts, including switch-shifting means and devices for maintaining said means in a proper operative condition under all conditions of weather and cold or heat, a special arrangement of signal-actuating mechanism being also combined with and controlled by the movement of theswitch devices; and in its more subordinate features my invention consists in certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating the general arrangement of my improved switch-track and signal-actuating construction. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the switch const-ruction, the signal devices joined therewith, and the actuating mechanism therefor. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same on the line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 44 of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the metallic base upon which the switch mechanism is supported and the peculiar construction of which is designed to prevent the binding of the meeting ends of the rails. Fig. 6 is a detail View of one of the rail-bearing boxes or chairs hereinafter referred to. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the switch-rail-snpporting blocks. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are detail views of the housing-plates for protecting the switch-rod and its bearing portions between the switch-rails. Fig. 11 is a detail view of one of the angle-plates. Fig. 12 is a similar View of one of the outer housing-plates hereinafterreferred to. Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are detail perspectiveviews of the other supplemental housing-plates. Fig. 16 is a similar View of the transverse rail-brakes. Figs. 17 and 18 are detail views hereinafter referred'to.

In the drawings, A A designate the mainline track-sections, B the sliding track-section, and O the switch-section, which comprises the parallel rails c 0, having the same gage throughout of the main and siding track rails, as shown.

The switch-section O is mounted on andis laterally shiftable upon a metallic bed, which is suitably attached to the cross-ties, and the said bed, which is shown in detail in Fig. 5, comprises the parallelly disposed longitudinal plates 1 1 of suitable width and of a length slightly greater than that of the switch-rails c c mounted thereon, and at one end (the siding end) the plates 1 1 have upturned angle members 1 1, which project between the meeting ends b a of the main, the siding, and the switch rails, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and for reasons presently explained.

At a point near the end adjacent the siding-rail ends and at a point about midway thereof the longitudinally disposed baseplates 1 1 are joined by transverse plates 2 2, which are bolted to the plates 1 1 and which in turn have spike-notches 2 2, whereby they can be securely spiked to the cross-ties.

The plates 2 2 while serving as brace members for rigidly holding longitudinal members 1 in a proper cooperative condition also serve as smooth bearing-surfaces for the movable housing members attached to and movable with the switch-rails in the manner hereinafter fully explained.

So far as described it will be apparent that by reason of the base-plates being firmly attached to the cross-ties in case of excessive expansion of the rails the longitudinal strain thereof is transmitted to the plates 1, which causes the angle ends thereof to engage the adjacent ends of the rails between which they project and serves to maintain a proper separation thereof and preventa tight frictional contact between the shifting ends of the rails c c and their adjacent angle mem bers l 1 and also the ends of the rails which the said members 1 1 abut, and thereby provide for a free shifting movement of the rails c c, as will presently more fully appear.

Theswitch-section O in my construction being of the same gage throughout of that of the main-track rails and forming, as it were, a continuation thereof, the inner or fulcrum ends 0 0' thereof are joined with the adjacent ends of the fixed or main longitudinal rails A A by spliced bars 3 3, which are bolted to the rail ends a a of the main rails and spiked to the plates 1 and the ties in the usual manner, it being understood that in the practical application of my invention the switchrails are of such length that the resiliency thereof is suflicient to provide for the amount of shifting movement of the free ends thereof required to bring the said ends laterally into register with the main or siding track sections.

At a point about midway thereof the switchrails c c are joined by a transverse brace D, which consists of a pair of plates cl d, the ends of which are recessed, as at (1 whereby the lower plate d can be readily extended under and form a bearing for the rails c c and the upper plate d formed with flanges adapted to project over the inner brace-flange of the rails, and to hold the rails from spreading the said members D are bolted to the inner flange of the said rails, as shown.

The brace member D is loosely mounted on the central crossed base-plate 2 and moves with the rails c c as the switch-section is shifted.

To protect the bolted ends of the member D and alsotheoutwardly-extended ends thereof from the weather and the lodgment of objects between the said members dand thecrossplate 2, upon which it is held to slide, I provide sheet-metal housing members 5, shaped in cross-section and provided with flange ends 5 for engaging the inside face of the rail- Webs, and similar housing members 6 6, having flanges 6, are provided to straddle the outer ends of the member D, and the said housing members 5 and 6 have apertures to receive the bolts 7 7, which also engage registering holes in the webs for securing the housing members to the rails to move therewith, and to properly guide the housing members 5 and 6 their lower edges are made to engage angle-guides 8 8, bolted to the crossbase member 2, and the same bolts 9 that secure the said plate 2 to the longitudinal plates 1 are used for rigidly attaching the guides 8 8. E designatesa transverse brace constructed similar to the brace D and illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, and the said brace E has its members 6 grooved longitudinally, as at e e, to form a longitudinal socket to receive the switch-shifting rod F, which is provided with vertical aperturesff for the passageof the bolts 10 10, which also pass through the members e e and serve to fixedly connect the rod with the brace E, whereby the shifting of the rod transmits the necessary alternate move ments to the switch-section C, it being understood that the brace E is also bolted to the face of the rails, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To prevent the lodgment of snow, ice, or other substances on the brace E and the extended portions of the shifting rod F, I provide a FI-shaped sheet-metal cover G, which is held over the brace E at a point intermediate the rails c c and which has flanges g g bolted to the cross-face 2 2, and to the inner side of each of the opposing faces of the rails c c I attach a second FI-shaped sheet-metal housing H, which straddles and slides upon the housing G, and the said housing members II have flanges h, adapted to snugly engage the rail-web, and such flanges it have apertures h, adapted to register with the bolt-apertures in the rails c c to receive the fastening-bolts 11 11, which also connect the flanged members i of the outside housing membersI, arranged to fit over the outer extensions of the shifting rod F, and both sets of housing members H and I have their lower edges in engagement with the angle-guides .I J, bolted to the cross-plate 2. (See Fig. 2.)

To further provide against snow and ice crowding between the sliding faces of the members G, H, and I, additional cover-plates K and L are fixedly held over the said members, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The switch-actuated rod F extends to one side and has an aperture f whereby it can be conveniently attached to a hand-lever f, as indicated in Fig. 17, and an aperture f to receive a suitable wedge-block 13, as shown in Fig. 18, when the switch mechanism is arranged to be actuated by a trip member 011 the engine or car. 1

IIC

In the complete construction of my invention I prefer to provide asubmerged housing 20, in which is mounted a switch-actuating means, the construction of which is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, from which it will be noticed the said housing is in the nature of an elongated box, the front end of which has a slot 20, into which projects a rod-protectiug or guard plate 21, on which the cooperating housing member I (shown in detail in Fig.1 t) slides. The rod F also extends through the slot 20, and it has an aperture f for the key-pin 22, which pivotally joins with the switch-lever 23, fulcrumed at its lower end in the bracket 24 in the bottom of the box 20. The top of the box 20 has a longitudinal slot 20, through which the lever 23 extends, and the said slot is normally held closed against the entrance of snow, ice, and other substances bya gate-plate 25, held to slide in side guide-flanges formed on the box-top and movable with the lever 23, with which it is connected. To hold the lever 23 to either of its shifted positions, a keeper-plate 26 is provided, which is hinged upon one edge of the box-top to swing transversely over the said box-top, either in front of or to the rear of the lever 23, and thereby hold the said lever 23 locked to either of its adjusted posi tions, the free end of the said keeper 26 being formed with a latch for looking it to its adjusted position through the medium of an ordinary padlock, as shown. The other end of the rod F is slidable in the housing members heretofore described and best shown in Fig. 3.

3O designates a signal mechanism, which is actuated by the shifting ofth'e switch 0 and which may be of any approved construction, either an ordinary semaphore-paddle and rotary disk or lamp. I prefer, however, in the complete arrangementof myinvention to provide a signal mechanism such as is shown in Fig. 1, from which it will be seen the same consists ofasupporting-frame,which includes a base 31, a light-holding tower 32, having the usual safety bulls-eye openings 33, and a straddle-frame 34, pivotally connected at its lower end with the base and comprisinga pair of vertical members 35, in the upper end of which is mounted a red or danger glass 36, adapted when the switch O is shifted in line with the siding to be swung over the safetysignal openings in the tower, it being understood that during the day when the frame 34 is in its forward or vertical position the same acts as a safety-signal, and when shifted over the tower it indicates danger. The pivoted frame 34 is joined with the switch-section C by a link member 37, which has a bifurcated end 36 for pivotally joining with the lower end of the said frame 34 and a similar end 36 1 for joining it with the adjacent rails of the switch-section, as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete operation of the advantages of myinvention will be readilyapparentto those skilled in the art to which it appertain s.

It will be noticed by reason of the metallic base and the manner in which it is cooperatively connected with the rails the said rails are held from such longitudinal expansion that would bring the adjacent ends thereof into a tight bight or frictional engagement, and by reason of the peculiar manner in which the rail members are joined with the rails and with each other and are housed in the danger of a free shifting of the switch under all conditions of weather is reduced to the minimum.

The several parts constituting the housing are 'so constructed and adapted to be connected that they can 'be economically and easily manufactured from sheet or cast metal and readily assembled without the requirement of skilled labor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway-track construction; in combination with the ties and the rails, a metallic base disposed between the rails and the ties and adapted to be secured to the ties by the rail-holding spikes, said base members comprising longitudinally-extended members and transverse members rigidly connected to the longitudinal members,said longitudinal m cmbers having integral angle portions adapted to project up between the meeting ends of the rails, for the purposes described.

2. A switch-track construction of the character described, comprising a metallic base which includes longitudinal and transverse members, the former being arranged to fit under the rails, transverse rail members mounted on the transverse members of the base, housing members fixedly secured to the base on which the transverse rail members have movement, and additional housing members secured to the inner faces of the opposite rails constituting the switch-section and slidable over the fixedly-held housing members, for the purposes described.

3. The combination of a railroad-track construction as described, a metallic base comprising longitudinal and transverse portions, the switch-rails fitting on the longitudinal base portions,transversely-disposed rail members each consisting of a pair of plates bolted to each other, an upper one having flanges for lapping over the base-flanges of the rails and a lower section adapted to project transwith the rails c c, the metallic base including the longitudinal and transverse members, a two-part brace joined at its ends to the two rails c c, the lower one of the said brace portions being extended under and beyond the rails, a switch-actuating rod clamped between the two base members and fixedly connected thereto, a housing fixedly secured to the base at "a point intermediate the rails c c, supplemental housing members secured to and movable with the rails c c and held to slide over the fixedly-held housing, a signal mechanism controlled by the lateral movement of the switch 0 and an actuating means for shifting the switch-rod, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. In a track and switch rail construction; a metallic base adapted to be fixedly held on the ties by the rail-spikes, of a switch con nection comprising parallel rails o 0 having the gage on the main and siding track sections, one end thereof being connected with the adjacent ends of one section of the main-track rails, the free ends thereof being adapted to be moved into alinement with the adjacent ends of the siding and the main rails, transverse brace members joining the parallel rails slidable on the metallic base, housing members fixedly secured to the base in which the said transverse brace members move, supplemental housing members secured to the inner and outer faces of the switch-rails, the inner ones of which are adapted to straddle the fixedly-held housings, a supplemental fixedly-held housing-plate disposed over the adjacent ends of the inner housing members, an actuating-rod connected with the switch and a signal mechanism controlled by the movement of the switch, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

6. In a switch construction as described; an actuating mechanism comprising a rod fixedly connected with the switch, a box into which the rod projects, said box having alongitudinal slot in its top, a lever pivotally connected at its lower end within the box and having its upper end projected through the slot in the top of the box, a plate connected to and movable with the lever f'dr closing the u said box-slot, and a locking member mounted upon the box for holding the lever to its adjusted position, as set forth.

7. In a switchrail construction as described; the combination with the ties, the metallic base consisting of longitudinal and transverse members, and the laterally-movable switch-rails; of the brace member E consisting of an upper and lower section bolted to the face portions of the opposing switch- JAMES W. KOCH.

Witnesses:

O. F. SHINDEL, A. L. LEOPOLD. 

